Word processing programs are commonly used to create and edit documents. A document may be saved when the document is closed or when the word processing program is exited. A document may also be saved as it is created or revised. Saving a document as it is created or revised, protects the document in case a power failure or other problem occurs before the document is closed. If the document is saved as it is created or revised, then the document or the revisions may be restored in the event of a problem. The more frequently the document is saved, the more likely the document or the revisions may be fully restored in the event of a problem. If the document is not saved as it is created or revised, then the document or the revisions may be lost if a problem occurs before the document is closed.
A user may save a document by manually selecting the "save" command or in response to a periodic save reminder. A document may also be saved under a different name using the "save as" command. To save the document, a temporary file is created and the document is copied into the temporary file. Saving a document by copying the document into a temporary file is commonly referred to as a full save. After the document data is copied into the temporary file, the temporary file is renamed. If the document save was initiated by a "save" command or in response to a save reminder, then the temporary file is renamed to the document name. If the document save was initiated by a "save as" command, then the temporary file is renamed to the name specified by the "save as" command.
A document may also be saved without user intervention by using an automatic save option. An automatic save is a save which is initiated by the word processing program. The first automatic save is a full save which copies the entire document into an automatic save file. Subsequent automatic saves are incremental saves which append changes to the document since the last automatic save to the end of the automatic save file.
For both command-initiated saves and automatic saves, the user is prevented from editing the document while the document is being saved. Depending upon the size of the document, the save may be very time consuming. If the document is repeatedly saved, then editing is repeatedly interrupted. Because the user is prevented from editing the document while the document is being saved, the user must choose between greater document protection, i.e. saving a document more frequently, or greater efficiency, i.e. saving a document less frequently so that fewer interruptions occur. If the interruption due to a save could be minimized, then a user could save a document more frequently with less interruption.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for saving a document with a minimum of user interruption.